Live and let Live
by Chantelli
Summary: A suicidal Spike meets a man with visions, recruted by Whistler to bring Buff back, around the same time Spike gets a heartbeat. Can gang get Buffy back 'fore the 1st evil make her theirs?And are they all on the same side? 7 days before Bargaining UPDATED
1. Blaine

*** Please remember, I own no characters except for Blaine who I made up, everything else belongs to the all might Joss, put another way, Joss' toys, my sandbox  
  
takes place a couple of months after the gift. ***  
  
The tiny blond stood on the top of the steel beast, and the earth shook. Terrible things, the kind you feared were under your bed, yet you never looked stood around the base. And then she jumped, leaving a lone brunette, sobbing, and bleeding. But God the pain, the blond, her soul was being ripped, the white-hot searing pain! It went into eternity! And when it was too much to bear, the world refocused, and with a sickening thwack, she landed into the rubble. The sun fought the darkness and the monsters went away. And six figures walked, limped or were dragged from the shadows to the girl. She was so still. and the agony, the disbelief. The world was darkness again. Without her. The brunette, still crying, dismounted the beast, looking at the six, looking at the fallen. OH GOD! When did the pain stop? -  
  
Blaine awoke with a start, he looked at his clock. 3 am. hmmm, well at least he had got some sleep. The same damn dream had been haunting him for months now. Pretty blond, jumps to her death. He felt what he'd imagine what she must have felt. Ha, he should have gone to see a psychiatrist two months ago, when they started. but the shrink would probably ask him if he was breast fed as a child, if he hated his parents, if he dressed like a woman. Make him write a bloody journal, waste his money and tell him he had an Oedipus disorder. Right! Ha, bloody likely, his mother died giving birth to him. Blaine picked up a pack of cigarettes, a pub would be open. Might as well drink himself out of the bone-crushing, head-wrenching, mind- numbing headaches he got from time to time.  
  
* * *  
  
Swaying down an alley, in the "bad part of town" very much drunk and out of money, Blaine found himself lost. "Funny how I can FIND myself lost," Blaine thought ironically. Eyeing a cardboard box purposefully, he decided it would be better if he slept off his drunken state. Besides, a box in an alley would be a hell sight more comfortable than his tiny bed in his cabbage smelling flat. Besides, he had nothing of value to steal, 'cept maybe his fathers old pocketknife he always carried around with him.  
  
"Why is it that I'm always the one recruiting the reeking drunk ones out of the alleys?" asked a heavily accented Brooklyn voice.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Blaine, gawking at the short man wearing hideous 70's retro clothes.  
  
"Name's Whistler. Anyway, lately it is." The stranger said.  
  
Blaine just stood there, God his clothes were an eyesore.  
  
" And I can help you with those pesky dreams, about girls dying, that you've been having." Whistler continued.  
  
" How did you?" Blaine started. "You can get rid of them?"  
  
"Nope, but you can"  
  
" Ah, your not some creepy churchy, Jehovah Witness types are you?" Blaine said backing away slowly.  
  
" Nah, those folks scare even me. come on, I can help you."  
  
Blaine stood in his spot; he didn't like having a strange invite him for a stroll at four in the morning. But he did know about his dreams.  
  
"Oh would you just come! I'm not gonna hurt you!"  
  
Blaine reluctantly moved in step behind the man. And even if he tried anything funny, he had his pocketknife. They reached a brown rusty car. Whistler unlocked the passenger side and pulled an envelope out of the glove compartment, and handed the package to Blaine.  
  
" Do they look familiar?" Whistler asked.  
  
Blaine looked down. It was a picture of the blond girl from her dream. The next was a group photo at a club, there was a cake .Happy Birthday Tara, hmm, they people in the picture, they were the ones that were in his dream. and on a piece of old yellowed paper was a sketch, of the only person missing from the photos, a handsome man, with a scar on his left eyebrow and a cocky grin.  
  
"How in the hell??"  
  
"Her name is. was Buffy Summers, and she is what you call a good guy. The very reason you're breathing, living still exist is because of her. She saved the world, a lot." Explained Whistler. "And those people in the pictures, they are her friends. her sister, Dawn, and Giles, Xander, Willow, Anya, Tara, and the last one there is Spike. Now there is a guy you never expected to change sides!"  
  
"I don't understand," said Blaine.  
  
"No one understands! That's my curse!" chuckled Whistler, every time he did this they all acted the same. Hell, the last guy he had done this for had a drinking problem too.  
  
"Let me make this simple. monsters exist, and Buffy, was the only one who could stop them. Now, you're getting these headaches cause of who you are, and because she dyed. And now, we're giving you a chance to save the world."  
  
"What? Who's we?"  
  
"The powers, the big guys upstairs."  
  
" You're a fucking loony! You're probably had more to drink than me!"  
  
Just as Blaine had said that, a snarling man jumped from the roof of a nearby building. His features were twisted, grotesque, lurid; and lunged for them. Before Blaine could reach for his pocketknife, Whistler jabbed the attacker with a wedge of sharp wood. And the snarling man turned to dust.  
  
"Monsters exist. And that there, was a vampire, same as ol' Spike in the drawing."  
  
Blaine looked traumatized. "What do you want with me?"  
  
"I want you to raise the dead," smiled Whistler. 


	2. the Game of Unlife

*** Please remember, I own no characters except for Blaine who I made up, everything else belongs to the al might Joss, put another way, Joss' toys, my sandbox; takes place a couple of months after the gift. ***  
  
It was the closest to her he'd ever get. Every time he saw her, it was like looking at his beloved. Sure, he loved the little bit, but babysitting nights just hurt too much. He didn't know why he'd stayed, a year ago he would have taken off. But a year ago he hadn't fallen for the one girl he would love for his unnaturally long undead, unlife. But his promise to a lady, a lady that would never be his, never let herself be his; even before she di-  
  
Not that he was much good anyway. Couldn't help the little bit. Ever since that night Buffy had- he couldn't even let himself say the word. . . ever since the tower, he had only feed once or twice; immediately purging it, even if it was only pig's blood. He was a monster. Every thing reminded him that he was. The whelp, the sun, even his bloody menu! He had turned himself into one of the 'world vision' children that just a year ago, he though was funny. His already gaunt cheeks had sunken in, and whether it was possible or not, he had grown paler. And sadder still, not caring what he looked like, or his lack of reflection ( whichever) he had let his roots grow out, to reveal dirty blond roots along with the rest of his platinum blond hair.  
  
"Spike?" a tiny voice called.  
  
"Hmm, what is it little bit?"  
  
" Its your turn," said Dawn, pointing towards the table. Various pieces of board game lay in a shambled mess. Spike gave a twist to the little wheel, and then picked up a LIFE card. . .  
  
" Well, never was good with women, even if they are little pieces of pink plastic, it looks like Mrs. The Bloody wants a divorce." Spike said, his half attempt to make a joke only depressed him.  
  
He pulled a tiny pint plastic figure from his tiny, black plastic car. The little blue one stood alone.  
  
" I never was good at 'the Game of Life,'" he quipped in monotone.  
  
Dawn smiled weakly. The cocky, mysterious, and yes, full of life vampire she once knew was gone.  
  
"Do you want some more cocoa? Or, um Giles will be her in a few minutes, if you wanna go, I'll clean up here." Said Dawn.  
  
But before he could argue about how he wasn't one to shriek his responsibilities, scratch that, promises, a knock came from the door. And Giles had come to save him from the 15-year-old who could whip his ass in any and all board games know to man or demon. Spike grabbed his coat and headed towards the door.  
  
"Be seeing you little bit. . . Same time tomorrow?" he said, more of a statement than a question. Giles nodded, and with that, the Billy Idol wannabe left the Summer's home.  
  
***  
  
Spike on the grass between his two favorite women, Joyce and Buffy.  
  
" Now ducks, I've been looking after the bitty Buffy for you both. She's good, well, she's fine. And she sends her love. Sorry luv, Slayer, she doesn't come around much. Bet she feels like if she don't see it, it didn't happen. But she still loves you, both of you. And I. . . it just hurts a little bit more everyday, ya know? And it's not from that fall. 'Cor that hurt like hell, but I guess you already know that." he said, tracing the letter's on Buffy's headstone. " God I love you." He said to his sleeping beauty, "but there are no fairy tales, no Christmas miracles for you. Life's not a bleeding movie. No amount of wishing, or crying. True love isn't gonna triumph. No miracles for the slayer . . ." a tear slid down his cool skin. It was bitter irony. She had given him his second chance, (more than bloody once!) Him, a bloody demon! And she was so full of light, she was pure, she fought on the good side! Where was her second chance? Why her? It was supposed to be him. His sacrifice to show his undying love to her. To prove that he could feel, to love, and to give his life up for her. But it was she. She had died, and with her went his life, his will to live. She was his soul. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to rest. So he fell into a deep sleep between his two women. 


	3. the peace of forgetfulness

*** Please remember, I own no characters except for Blaine who I made up, everything else belongs to the all might Joss, put another way, Joss' toys, my sandbox; and pretty, pretty PLEASE send in them reviews, otherwise I get sad and suicidal, jks! Come on, you know you want to! Story takes place a couple of months after the gift. ***  
  
Blaine sat in his tiny flat with the stranger, drinking a cup of black coffee. He would have usually had a cup of tea, "it's calming," he would tell you. But he did not wish to be calm tonight. He had his first, (and hardly last) run in with supernatural demons. Plus he was suffering from a hell of a hangover. The stranger seemed to be entranced with the brick- ka-brak on the few shelves around the room. Why the hell had he invited him in anyway? Was he going out of his mind?  
  
"Your not crazy, you saw the man explode. And don't let yourself do the blissful 'selective memory' thing. Lot's of people do that. . . slip into the peace of forgetfulness. . .remember, we need you on our side." Whistler said, finally breaking the silence.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why we need you?" Whistler asked.  
  
"No, why me? Out of all the people in England, out of all the people in the world, why me?"  
  
" Now aren't you a piece of work? You know, when Buffy was called, she accepted it. She was strong. . . took her awhile, but she knew that it was the right thing to do. And you have the nerve to ask 'why you'?"  
  
Blaine looked at the floor, suddenly ashamed of himself.  
  
" I could tell you why, but it's better if you see it. . ."  
  
"Where?"  
  
" Sunnydale, California."  
  
"Ok, I think I was a pretty good sport about the man exploding, and inviting you in, but there is no way I am going to fly half-way around the world to see the grave of some girl I don't even know."  
  
Whistler took this in. . . he needed more convincing.  
  
" You ever wonder why you never got sick as a kid? Ever wonder why you never broke an arm? Why your dad never talked about your mother, how she died?"  
  
" How the hell could you know? What the bleeding hell is going on?"  
  
"You're not all that human, on your mother's side."  
  
Blaine couldn't believe what this stranger was saying. His mother was pure! She was the one he would pray to, to stop his father from giving him beatings. She would be there to protect him. Even if she did die. She was the last bit of him; of his life that he knew there was some good in. His father was a loud, violent drunk, who would drink paint thinner if he thought it would give him a descent buzz. His life was a piss poor excuse. No one loved him, and he loved no one. He had no past, no future. But his mother, the one person he loved in his life, even if he never met her. She had to be the reason he didn't turn out like his father. Seeing everyone else who touched his life, she had to be the pure part. And now some whack job!  
  
"Get the Fuck out of my hous-" he started, but suddenly, a wave of pain shot him. He fell grabbing his head, trying to keep his innards inside. He screamed in pain. The girl in his dreams flashed before his eyes. But this time, instead of seeing the beautiful blond girl jump, he saw the man from the sketch. It hurt more this time, but he pain was different. It was the feeling of loss, of grief, of hurt beyond words.  
  
"What the? Bloody hell"  
  
" They are called visions my friend. And you'll be getting many of them. But for the powers, it's the only way to tell you where you're needed. You are really needed. It wasn't time for her to go. You have to know that. . ."  
  
Blaine looked up from his place on the floor. Something in him knew he was right. 


	4. She's my angel

*Gah! I'm writing this entire story to Bach's Fugue in G minor, don't ask. but in turn it has turned my writing into insanity! * She's bloody insane, that one is* "Spike, how did you get out of my basement? Get back there before I have to take away your happy breakfast cereal that you like soo much! Gets up and chases him menacingly with a plastic spoon. ya ya, everything belongs to Joss, don't sue my ass, I got's no money and I already had to sell my kidneys and feeling of self-dignity to buy back my soul from certain people. *coughwicca-jewcough* Also, lyrics from Michelle Branch- Goodbye to you! Thank you! Send in them reviews, or I'll subject my little friends to the torture of hearing me piss and whine about no one reviewing my story. * oh, and the a hundred and forty days, I know that's not how long Buffy was gone, I'm saying, she will be resurrected in a week.  
  
Of all the things I believed in  
  
I just wanna get it over with  
  
Tears from behind my eyes;  
  
But I do not cry  
  
Counting the days that pass me by  
  
I've been searching deep down in my soul  
  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
  
Feels like I'm starting all over again  
  
And that the last 4 years are just pretend  
  
And I said.  
  
Goodbye to you,  
  
Goodbye to everything that I knew  
  
You were the one I loved  
  
The one thing I tried to hold on to.  
  
I used to get lost in your eyes  
  
It seems like I can't live a day without you  
  
Close my eyes and you chase my thoughts away  
  
To a place where I'm blinded by the light  
  
But it's not right!  
  
Goodbye to you,  
  
Goodbye to everything that I knew  
  
You were the one I loved  
  
The one thing I tried to hold on to. . .  
  
Spike looked down at his unfinished poem, it wasn't like his others. This one was more of a vision he had, a dream, but he couldn't explain it. He woke up in a cold sweat, panting for unneeded breath, reaching for his journal immediately. It was too confusing. He knew it was Buffy he saw, but it wasn't the same Buffy he loved. He didn't know who this was. She was the sunlight in his otherwise nightmare of an existence. She made the monsters abandon the night. She made his monster tame. And he hated her for it. And he loved her for it.  
  
He closed his eyes, trying to remember what he saw in his dream . . . it hurt too much to remember, but it hurt intensely to forget.  
  
She was happy, she was free, and she was somewhere he could never be. He had pretty much reserved a seat for himself in hell. But then she saw whom she was with. A girl with tanned skin and curly hair and a set expression revealing a tiny smile at the corners of her lips. And an older woman, with dark straight deep chestnut hair, and freckles on her nose. She had a gypsy-like appearance. And Joyce, she was with Joyce, finally, his two women found each other. Finally, a man with curly longish dirty blond hair, walking hand in hand with his Slayer. Ponce, Poof, who the hell did he think he was doing with his Slayer? And that's when it hit him. He knew who each person was . . . the first girl, was the slayer he had fought . . . the one Dru bagged. The other woman, she was from the Kalderash tribe . . . yes, Angelus was the end of her. Then there was Joyce. But that man, he seemed familiar enough. And the realization hit him. It had been over a century and a couple of decades since he had seen himself. But that was him! It was his soul, with Buffy! And she was walking hand and hand with HIM! *  
  
For once in a hundred and forty days- and counting- he felt a bit of happiness. He may not have her here with him but part of him was her's forever. But where was the fear in that. He woke up petrified! He replayed the image in his mind. And there it was . . .  
  
*The man-er- Spike's soul-William, whomever you wanted to call it, leaned close to Buffy, and whispered to her . . . " He loves you" and with a scream, his soul was ripped out of heaven, of bliss, out of her arms. It was all the same when he wasn't with her. And his soul, God knows where that was . . . Spike, now on his feet pacing back and forth in his crypt, punched a wall in confusion. He vamped out and was about to take out his anger on his unsuspecting lamp, when something felt different. He started to pant loudly, and with a scream, he landed on the floor. And that's when he heard it, for the first time in 126 years. His heartbeat. 


	5. Of Airplane Sluts and Warriors

* Disclaimer, as sad as it is. I own none of the characters ('cept Blaine), but I can make them do my biding, it's just getting James Marsters to fall into the love but dare not speak it's name about ME. the world would be a better place. Merry Christmas, spin the dradle. Eat, drink, be merry and send in reviews! xo Chantelli*  
  
  
  
He felt like an absolute moron. Any other normal person would have gone to the pharmacy and buy the most medication and keep whatever he saw rooted deep, deep in his subconscious. That, or get very, very hammered. But here he sat on an AirBritanica flying across the damn Atlantic. He hardly had time to call his work to explain how there had been a "death in his family" and he had to go the bloody colonies for God knows how long. He was insane! A flipping loony! -But the plane peanuts were good, and he could swear the gypsy-like woman beside him was checking him out. Blaine chuckled quietly. "I still got it," he thought. Wait, wasn't he supposed to be mad, and cursing the stranger who had sent him on the strangest journey he'd ever be on. His orders were as follows; once he arrives in Sunnydale California, get to the store on Main called the Magic Box. A fellow Brit there would know what he was to do. But hell, if it meant anytime away from his sad lack of a life, then so be it. And so he sat beside the brunette gypsy-lady and let his ego grow as she checked him out.  
  
"Going back home?" the woman asked, she had a slight British accent, but one could tell she was from the States. The woman crossed her legs, and put a hand on his arm.  
  
Blaine grinned, oh yah, she wants me . . .  
  
"Um, no, visiting. . ." he said politely. hey, it had been some time since anyone actually hit on him. what was he supposta say? 'Nope, I'm actually here to raise some cheerleader from beyond the grave?' Well, it was a conversation starter. then again, he could always just ask her if she wanted to join the "mile-high" club.  
  
"Oh, first time hun?"  
  
"What?!" It's strange how some people could read his mind.  
  
"In the States?"  
  
Oh, he thought. never mind what he thought.  
  
"Yeh, there's been a a a death in my family there. Gotta be there for the family, right?"  
  
"I'm sorry, do you know how she passed away?" the woman asked.  
  
"She died in. how did you know it was a she?" he asked. this was getting weird.  
  
" I was just asking, incase Whistler didn't tell you what happened. He likes to be all mysterious; sometimes he forgets to tell the mission-ee what's really going on." She continued.  
  
"Oh great, another one! Are you going to guilt trip me into another."  
  
"Hey, quiet you! I was just reading your thoughts, first, you like being away and second, you subconsciously called me an 'airplane slut'. your lucky I only read your most resent thoughts." She scolded.  
  
"Sorry about that . . . so, yah, fine. I like getting out of my dingy little apartment, and my life that is as pathetic as those saps that write stories about TV shows." He said with a grin. "Well you certainly are easier on the eyes than the Whistler chap . . . what's your name?"  
  
"You'd laugh if I told you. my parents never fully released their ties to the 70's" she mimicked someone putting a joint to their lips.  
  
'He laughed, good, they are all more willing to fight on our side if there isn't other things tempting them,' she thought.  
  
"Autumn Flower."  
  
"You're kidding me!"  
  
"Nope, I swear to goddess!"  
  
He laughed again.  
  
"But I just tell everyone to call me by my nickname. Ayn"  
  
"Ayn?"  
  
"It's pronounced like Anne only spelt weird, I thought it would make me kinda unique . . . then I realized I was already . . . I get the visions just like you. And when I saw your calling, I knew I had to help. Whistler's the one who called me. I know what you're going though. You got more questions than answers to fill them with. So I'm taking you on as a personal case. This Buffy chic, she no mere mortal you know that right?"  
  
" I know she's dead, I know she's buried in California, and I don't seem to know what the hell I am anymore, so I'll let you do the talking and the filling in part. We've got plenty of life. This chit's not going anywhere for a while."  
  
"That's where you're wrong. We have seven days, till she can be brought back. We just want to make sure it the good guys who do it. The powers have already sent her a warrior to protect her, and wait for your arrival. You'll like him, he's a Brit like you. But if the other side clues into what we're doing, well, as many times as she's saved the world . . . well, this time she could be the one causing it."  
  
"My life is too damn confusing." 


	6. And the heart goes thum thump

Disclaimer: All hail Joss, place play things on his alter. now I get to play with them. BIG thanx to all who write back. they keep me breathing, hugs, puppies are next. MERRY CHRISTMAS!  
  
  
  
Previously:  
  
Spike vamped out and was about to take out his anger on his unsuspecting lamp, when something felt different. He started to pant loudly, and with a scream, he landed on the floor. And that's when he heard it, for the first time in 126 years. His heartbeat.  
  
*** Now on with the story*  
  
It was the one thing he had dreaded and secretly prayed for the span of his undead life. The one thing he needed to be with his beloved. The one thing he needed for him to be with Buffy, to not be a monster. Buffy. . . he had his bloody miracle, but no reason to have it when she was gone from his life. And without reason, he sat down in his crypt and began to cry. What bloody good was it to him now? Hell, this was his salvation and he was blubbering like bleeding Peaches. But he would have given his new found heartbeat to her if he could. This had to be some cruel trick the Powers were playing. There was only one thing he could do. . . get very drunk. 


	7. 12 graveyards indeed... DON'T DO IT!

Disclaimer: Joss won't share his toys, so I kidnapped them and now am having VOO DOO FUN! MAH HA HA! Send in them reviews. I need them like life giving oxygen!  
  
The town looked nice. Quaint even, peaceful to the average person. But there was a lack of average persons in this town. Most of its inhabitants were vampires, demons, giant-snake politicians. and the legions of hell themselves. But for the supernatural person, people like Blaine, (even though he didn't fully know about his supernatural side,) and Ayn, could feel that there was something wrong about this town. From the moment when their cab had passed the dented "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign, (which looked like it had been struck by a car more than once,) Blaine had felt strange. Like a horrible childhood nightmare replaying in the back of his mind. And by the looks of it, Ayn was feeling the same. It might have had something to with Blaine's new found knowledge about demons, and the mouth of hell, and the fact he was above said Hellmouth, at night, with nowhere to sleep. And so the only thing they could do was drive around, in hopes they could find a motel; and all the while, jacking up the taxi fare. So far they had seen a Sun Cinema, a freaky looking mansion, the burnt ruins of god knows what and 12, count 'em, 12 cemeteries. Now if that wasn't a bad omen, he didn't know what was. That's when Blaine saw his nightmares parallel itself to reality. There, not more than 100 feet from the moving cab was the steel beast, the tower from his, "vision." At least that's what Whistler told them they were. Everything was matching up precisely to his nightmares. The tower, the wasteland below, the dark fighting the day, a blond climbing the tower. Wait-a-minute!  
  
"Stop the car!" shouted Blaine. The cab screeched to a halt and Blaine darted from the car, to the junkyard ahead.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Ayn cried standing in the doorway of the cab, watching Blaine hop over a rusty chain link fence.  
  
Ayn looked towards the visibly unstable tower protruding into the sky. And gaped as she saw a leather-clad figure stumble his way up a latter.  
  
"My God! They're going to get themselves killed!" Ayn bellowed.  
  
"That's him! That's HIM! Don't you see, he was in the dream I had. Whistler was telling me about him. oh God! He's supposta be part of the plan. Whatever the hell THAT is! I'm waiting to find out myself! Shit! If he gets himself killed, then why the fuck am I here for?" Blaine cried back, as jogged the last few steps towards the foot of the tower. Well, only one-way to go now. up. Blaine caught his breath and started his way up the rusting tower.  
  
"Hey! Hey you!" Blaine called up to the man.  
  
'Shit! What's his name again?' Blaine thought. 'Whistler told me. oh right, he's the vampire. Spite? Sprite? SPIKE! Yah, Spike. oh shit. he's the VAMPIRE!' Blaine had reached one of the first landings on the tower and in sudden paralyzing of fear, froze up and refused to move another step, closer to the vampire, or further from the ground.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" called Ayn, from the bottom of the tower.  
  
'Lucky bint, your on the ground. The nice, stable ground where you can't fall off,' thought Blaine.  
  
Before Blaine could answer, the leather-clad blond looked down, from 30 feet above him called down.  
  
"Bloody hell! I'm in the middle of a suicide here, I could do without the chit chat!"  
  
And with that he started to climb again.  
  
Blaine sighed. 'Shit! I'm going to have to climb again.' he thought.  
  
"No wait! WAIT! Spike, wait!" bellowed Blaine as he gathered his bearings and began to climb again, tempting his acrophobia.  
  
From above Spike stopped.  
  
"How the hell do you know my name?" spat out angrily.  
  
Blaine decided to tell the vampire everything while he was willing to listen, and not trying to kill himself.  
  
"I know more than that!" yelped Blaine, capturing the suicidee's attention. " I know what happened that day! I know how she died! I know about the Slayer! And the rest of them!"  
  
Spike took this in. Pondered a moment about what he had just said.  
  
"Yah, well, in a few moments, I'll be dead and you won't be able to get any answers from me 'bout how to kill the lot of em, you sick twisted fu-" Started Spike. Continuing his journey upwards.  
  
"I'm not here to hurt them!!!" yelled Blaine. "I'm here to help you bring Buffy back.!"  
  
Spike froze.  
  
"But I can't do it if your DEAD!" continued Blaine. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. All I know is I flew across from merry ol' England. Not knowing who any of you are, but I believe that she can be saved."  
  
Spike had yet to move. Beneath them both, Ayn stood listening. Damn, Blaine was good! He was almost as good as Whistler, only, without the cryptic talk, and the HORRIBLE retro clothes.  
  
"You see, I get these nightmares." Blaine called up. "And until yesterday, I-I just thought I was going crazy. HELL! I probably am! But then I meet this man, a-and he tells me I ain't crazy. And I'm supposed to fly across the *sodding* planet, and save the world. I'm supposta raise the dead! And hell! I'm probably more scared than you are, thinking KILLING yourself is the best ways out of your troubles. But I saw what you did that day. And the truth is, you care 'bout this girl. And somehow, we can bring her back! Now I was willing to take a chance, and come her. Leave the world I knew behind! Leave my sanity, my home. all for this Buffy I've never met. Now Get the fuck off this tower, and help me!"  
  
And then the broken down peroxide-blond, un-vampire turned human did something he had been doing far too much. 'Screw looking like a wanker.' Thought Spike. And he began to sob. 


	8. When she's back

Disclaimer: Bah! Joss is being greedy and won't let me play! So, please remember, only Blaine and Ayn are my personal playthings… along with Spike sometimes! Hehe! And Ayn isn't really mine cuz she's based on my best friend… so I'm left with a Brit I made up, and one really hot un-vampire.  
  
Spike, stood outside the Magic Box with the Brit and the gypsy chit. He was taking a leap of faith here. Maybe even putting the Scoobies in danger, but it was Buffy. He loved them all. Hell! Even the whelp, but he would give everything in him to bring Buffy back. And after a few quick calls, and a rushed explanation to hurry to the Magic shop for an emergency meeting. Plus, he needed to find out why the hell he was a HUMAN. But, like hell he would let the two strangers into the shop without the rest of the gang there. After all, he now was a human, all weak and confused, and he didn't know if his chip still worked. So, they waited. Waited for Giles, waited for the whelp and the demon, waiting for the wiccans, and for Dawn. If there was any hope to bring her sister back, he would damn well make sure that they tried it.  
  
"Well this is really awkward." Simply stated Ayn.  
  
Just as a red sports car pulled up.  
  
"Hey," said Dawn as she stepped out of the passenger side, and went to hug Spike. When he had left yesterday night he was really down. Giles, Willow and Tara joined the group in front of the store. Giles went to unlock the door, somewhat pleased that Spike hadn't broken in this time. But it was 2 in the morning, and who the hell were these people with him? He opened the door and let the Scooby Gang in, pausing for a moment to take a once over of the two strangers.  
  
"They're with me." Called Spike from the table inside.  
  
"Come on in then," said Giles.  
  
"Now Spike, what was so important that you had to wake us up at 2 in the morning?" yawned Xander as he entered the store with Anya by his side.  
  
"It's uncanny, they're all here, just like in my vision," whispered Blaine to Ayn.  
  
"What was that?" asked Giles.  
  
"W-what I was saying was…" started Blaine.  
  
"He's going to bring Buffy back," shouted Spike; every moment they wasted was a second without Buffy.  
  
The Scoobies were shocked. They had given up after Buffy died, and like Spike, part of them died with her.  
  
"Can it be done?" asked Giles "I mean we are talking about some serious dark majicks, some that we can't even comprehend. She, she could come back wrong, or…"  
  
"But it would be Buffy right? She would be back and…"  
  
"Dawnie, we all miss her, but…" Willow's voice was interrupted by one pissed off blond.  
  
"She would be back! God! That's all that matters! She would be back and we wouldn't be alone… and she would be back with us… and that's all that matters. Buffy would be back."  
  
The rest of the Scoobies were silent… he was right. They needed her back. 


	9. Mr.Clean! Mr. Clean!

Disclaimer: * Spike runs around flailing his arms! * Bloody hell! This crazy bint is chasing me around with a can of soddin' whip cream! I don't know what she wants but she's gotta remember I BELONG to Joss Whedon… I'm a figment of his imaginations and such… plus, I'm his Man Bitch, willing to do whatever he pleases… Bloody Authoress! She's brought out the bondage! Dear GOD! I know I'm only a lowly vampire… but no one deserves a leather speedo! Not even me! GAHHHH! Remember… if you review she gets a happy… and is motivated to write more… and not torture me! No! NO! Not the nurse getup! I'm not putting that on… again… Please! You gotta help me!  
  
  
  
Early daylight streamed into the front window, giving luster to the magical items that on the shelves. The soft hum of cars sped could be heard from Main Street. And the chirp of birds outside the window.  
  
But the Magic Box was quiet… almost too quiet. But then again, the entire Scooby gang plus two had all fallen asleep on various volumes of text that predated the retreat of the glaciers. The group of warriors and seers had stayed up late into the night, or morning, whichever way you look at it. After long questioning, Blaine had explained everything he knew. Then it was Spike's turn with the firing squad about how he found Blaine. He, of course, skipped the part about his suicide attempt. The first few weeks after Buffy had died, the Scoobies had to practically baby-sit him out of fear he would stake himself. If they knew he had relapsed then they'd probably chain him up into the Watcher's bathtub again.  
  
So, they went to work. Studying whatever they could. Finding whatever demon text that could bring her back. And the time was ticking.  
  
" We had seven days, till she can be brought back. We just want to make sure it us good guys who do it. The powers have already sent her a warrior to protect her. But if the other side clues into what we're doing, well, as many times as she's saved the world . . . well, this time she could be the one causing it. . . "  
  
They only had 5 days left.  
  
It wasn't enough time. They needed her back, but now, not just for themselves. For the world as well.  
  
But suddenly the world could wait. Spike woke with a start with his head pounding, his world all wonky and a hell of a hangover. Suddenly he remembered the couple of bottles of bourbon he had helped himself to last night. And with that, he ran as fast as he could to vomit all over the little shop's washroom. Never before had he felt like this… well… a vague memory of when he was 12 and drank too much eggnog at a charity ball his parents threw… back in 1860 something… uh… he felt gross…  
  
Spike stumbled back into the main room where the scoobies were just getting up.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that Rups… better get Mr. Clean because I just had one hell of an encounter with your toilet bowl…" smirked Spike.  
  
He expected Giles to start yelling and doing that little clucking sound with his tongue. But he was merely staring at him in shock.  
  
" Hey! It's not like I ruined it Watcher! A little elbow grease an…"  
  
They were all staring at him...  
  
"Ok! What's on my face that I don't know about! Come on! Play nice! I don't have a reflection! I can't see for meself! What?"  
  
Slowly Dawn got up and walked over to him, and put a hand on his arm, but pulled away like he would crumble to dust.  
  
"Spike, you're, you're not burning up!" said Dawn in shock.  
  
That's when he realized he was indeed standing in a beam of sunlight. Instinctively he stepped back into the shadows.  
  
"Are you… that is, um…"  
  
Dawn took Spike's hand and gently pressed on his wrist.  
  
"Ohmygod! Your heart… it's beating, Spike!! Do you know what this means? You're HUMAN!"  
  
"Oh yah, THAT."  
  
"That? THAT! Spike! You've been given a blessing! It's a miracle… and the way you're treating this you shouldn't deserve this!" said Giles.  
  
"I don't bloody well deserve this! I didn't ask for this! I didn't want this! But I've got it! And big help it does me now! But I can tell you this… I would willingly give up my heartbeat to get Buffy's back. So, let's stop gawking over the freak show that is me, and get back to Buffy!"  
  
"It's you!" Said Ayn, for the first time since the last night.  
  
The rest of the gang in the shop proceeded in 'whos?' and the 'say huns?'  
  
"You're the warrior of light the Powers foretold about! I knew that he would be British, but I kept thinking it was this guy. . . um Mr. Giles is it?" Giles nodded, "But I never thought it was you! I mean, your letting off mystical waves here… plus, Blaine here said that in his vision, that you were a vampire… But it's you. No doubt about it! Oh! I am good! I am sooo good!"  
  
"I'm a what now?" Asked Spike, who was not all too pleased about being a weak, puny human… and now whatever this chit says he was.  
  
"You're Buffy's warrior of light." She stated matter-of-factly. "You have the strength and the speed of a vampire, only now no bumpies, or blood, and no poof to dust… and oh ya, a soul."  
  
And with that final note… Spike ran back into the washroom, to throw up… again. 


	10. Mirror Mirror on the wall

Disclaimer: Hail Joss…place the blood of the innocent Chirago demon on his alter… some scenes taken from www.script-o-rama.com… sorry it took me a long time to update… I am old enough to drive and my mom still grounds me for not cleaning after myself… pfff… oh well, send in reviews and I'll send you each a commemorative plate of scenes of what I did to amuse myself while grounded… shiny, disturbing fun!!! Love always to my 20 reviewers… you are the reason I breathe! So thanks to SinisterChic, rarashie, JJ, Heather, nina de majia, mzgora, falcon rider, Jamie, lindze, Dalie, Destiney Jen, taryn, Jeanette, My sister or (MEEEEE) and my best friend Madame Rat whom Ayn is based on.) Hugs, kisses, puppies, and commemorative plates!  
  
Rating: PG 13… or R if you are all touchy….  
  
It was disgusting. The eyes of the beast followed him as he moved, imitating his every move. Moving in parallel to his every action. The hateful and horrific creature mirrored his every effort to get out of view of the beast. He hated it! Spike couldn't stand it. The face of the creature from his long ago past. He had thought he had fled it. Escaped it. But it had followed him here. Followed him everywhere but he was to stupid too notice. And now he stood alone, to face the creature. Why couldn't Buffy be here? She was the one that protected him. Made the monster go away, made him forget that it was always following him. That's it. He would make it go away once and for all. Spike launched his attack, and threw a punch at the beast. But at the same time, as if it already knew his plan, the beast attacked too, throwing a punch in Spikes direction. And by some sort of black sorcery, Spike shattered to pieces.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Dawn was pacing in front of the Magic Box washroom.  
  
'Jeez… he just got his soul back, what's so wrong? He already acts, talks and hangs out with humans. What's so weird? It's not like the dead rose. Oh right, they did. But…"  
  
Dawns thoughts were cut of by the sound of a terrible crash inside the bathroom.  
  
"SPIKE!" she screamed, as she threw herself at the locked door. The crash had sent Willow Xander and a very pissed off Giles (who was beginning to doubt that his store would survive another visit from Spike,) to the back of the store.  
  
"ok, what has the un-undead boy done now?" asked Xander, half confused by his very confusing comment.  
  
"Spike! Open this door at once!" cried Giles. He knew he was going to regret breaking down his door again. He had to replace everything after the troll incident.  
  
"Giles wait," commanded Willow, resolve face set. She put a hand on the door and whispered a few words into the keyhole and the lock released with a resounding click.  
  
She grinned, pleased with herself, then stepped back for a nervous Dawn to get through.  
  
What the Scoobies saw was horrifying. In the corner of the restroom almost tucked completely behind the sink, sat Spike. He was curled up in fetal position , sitting in a puddle of his own blood. Around him, lay shards of the large mirror that once hung over the sink. He had attacked his own reflection, and was bleeding in various spots where he had been cut by the shards of glass. Shaking back and forth he chanted "I'm a monster, I'm sorry, I'm a monster, I'm sorry."  
  
"Oh God!" Cried Dawn, burying her head in Giles' shoulder.  
  
"Here! Quick!" Shouted Xander, tearing a strip of his shirt and tying it over one of the larger wounds on Spike's wrist. Giles passed Dawn over to Willow and went to help Xander drag the now unconscious Spike into the training room.  
  
"He must have just started to feel his soul," said Willow.  
  
"But why would he hurt himself? Why would he try to kill himself? It's not going to do any good." Asked Dawn, full aware that less then a year ago she had cut herself, much in the same way.  
  
"Sometimes, people feel like the only way they can be forgiven is to suffer for their wrong doings. O-or they feel like physical pain is easier to deal with than emotional…" started Giles.  
  
"Or they are too much of a coward to try to make amends."  
  
"Dawn! That's not fair! He was fighting the good fight all summer with us because he felt guilty about Buffy. He STILL feels guilty. He was so sorry that he tried to kill himself, and that was before he had a soul. This really must be killing him." Said Xander, shocked that he had stood up for Spike of all people. But they had really gotten close after Buffy funeral, as much as he hated to admit. He could see there was a little good in Spike after all. And that he really did love Buffy. He was taking this the hardest of all of them, and he was supposed to be a soulless demon. Or at least was a soulless demon.  
  
"Should we take him to a hospital? He's losing a lot of blood," asked Willow.  
  
"I'm not sure, he has no records… he's been dead for 127 years. But I think he should be fine. See he still has his supernatural healing like Ayn said. But get the first aid kit nonetheless," said Giles.  
  
Dawn stomped out of the room in search of where they had last placed the extensive first aid kit. While the others were left to watch Spike who was out cold.  
  
~ *~*~*~  
  
Spike knew he was dreaming. It had to be a dream. First of all, he was with Buffy. And secondly, he was watching them make love. He was a third party, looking on by the sidelines. But everything felt so vivid. Like it was happening to him, like it had been happening forever.  
  
Spike and Buffy were lay in bed together, making gentle passionate  
  
love. They changed positions as Buffy rolled on top of him, the muscles of  
  
her back flexing. They caressed each other for several moments. Buffy tenderly kissed Spike where his neck joined his shoulder, and he slid his hand up and along her outstretched arm, reaching and clasping her hand as they continued making love. Suddenly, over Buffy's shoulder, he saw eyeless priest demons, sightlessly observing them from where he was standing at her door.  
  
There were several sudden flashes of light. Buffy removed her hands from  
  
their tender clasp and then, as a thunderclap is heard, grabbed Spike's  
  
wrists hard, forcibly pinning him down to the bed. She rose over him and  
  
transformed into a vampire guise, and then bites him savagely on the  
  
neck. Spike's new soul slowly slipped from him. He tried to fight back, but she had grown to strong, too fast. He was drowning in her, in his blood. The pain washed over him in waves. Above him he could still see the eyeless demons. That's it, he was dying again. He felt his soul release from his body, and he was suddenly spinning.  
  
With a gasp, Spike shot up from the couch in the training room.  
  
"I know. I know what's coming after Buffy."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
ohh… creepy… send in reviews and I'll have the next chapter up within the week. 


	11. the Harbingers of Death

"The Gypsy chit is right," declare Spike as Willow tended to his cuts. "Something is coming." He stood to pace the room again.  
  
"Spike, you have to sit down, you could hurt yourself or-or open a cut again." said Tara.  
  
"That and get blood all over the shop's floor," muttered Anya in the corner.  
  
"No! No, we can't sit still! They're coming for her! Don't you get it? No!" shouted Spike. "We can't sit! We can't wait!" His voice broke with throaty emotion.  
  
The rest of the scoobies looked on. Even Xander had to feel bad of the guy.  
  
"Spike," said Giles. "Sit down, what did you see?" he asked in an understanding tone he used with Buffy when she was in high school.  
  
"They- they weren't like anything I…" he paused to gained his composure. They changed her. They took her from her peace and they made her theirs. She was so dark Giles, she was so dark," he said, voice husky with emotion. Spike shuddered, he could still feel her bury her perfect mouth to his neck, could feel he drink in his soul to her lips.  
  
Tara saw how uneasy he was, how he shook, how he was still shaken up. 'He's been through so much. He was just beginning to get over his grieving. And now she can be brought back… and then all this…' she thought.  
  
"What happened in your dream Spike"  
  
He seemed not to notice the question.  
  
"Spike?"  
  
He continued to look into dead space as he spoke.  
  
"She was back and she was perfect, and she was with me."  
  
"Wait, by with do you mean WITH?" asked Xander.  
  
"Xander, don't make a big deal" whispered Willow.  
  
"They had no eyes. Dru… she used to talk of them in rhyme. How they whispered to her. But I thought it was only one of her loony bint rants…"  
  
"They were there, they were feeding off of her power. And she… she was feeding off of me." He took a ragged breath. ( this breathing this was going to take some getting used to.) " They made her their Child of Darkness. She was empty inside, the sunlight was gone. Buffy was gone. The Harbinger of Death. Nothing of Light shall grow, above or below."  
  
"the Harbingers?" asked Giles, walking with purpose to the bookshelf.  
  
"You know of them?" asked Spike coming out of his cryptic state.  
  
"Buffy, she fought them. Ah, she killed them when Angel was being targeted after his resurrection. They worked for The First. The first form of evil. Before love, before life, before existence they were there. It is said that you cannot physically harm The First. They are pure evil in all it's essence.  
  
"Well you bloody well have to find a way! I let Buffy die, I can't let her come back only to have us kill her again."  
  
"Spike, we didn't kill Buffy. You didn't kill Buffy." Said Xander.  
  
"Like hell we didn't! I couldn't stop the Doc, I failed her! And you know, you KNOW she jumped for each and every one of you. The world be damned for once. She jumped for you and she jumped for Dawn. She saved YOU this time. Not the world, not the unknowing, ungrateful world. You."  
  
"What are we going to do?" asked Dawn quietly.  
  
"We are going to bring her back before the Harbingers can." Said Willow, even though it could mean her own self-destruction. 


	12. In 3 days time

Disclaimer: Sorry, I have been grounded, AGAIN! Bah, I bet Joss' writing wasn't stunted because HIS mother didn't like the guy he was going out with! Oh well… that's life! So, thank you for your reviews and suggestions! I found a way to make use of them all… and this time, if you review, I'll send Spike Astral projected into your living room with a can of whip cream! You can take it from there! Oh, and Joss owns everything… so, enjoy! Love always… Chantelli  
  
  
  
  
  
"No Willow, no! That kind of magick is darker than you can handle. It will open doors that you may never be able to close!"  
  
"Giles, there is no other way! We had 7 days, now we only have 4! They are going to bring her back unless I - - - we do something about it."  
  
"We'll find another way." Started Tara.  
  
"Giles! Tara! We have 4 DAYS! And she will rise. She will come back from the dead EVIL! She will be the very thing she fought so hard to destroy. She died trying to stop it! Don't let her life be in vain! Don't let her come back to be something she would have killed. All her fighting will be for nothing." Argued Willow.  
  
Tara looked at the ground thinking. "Giles, is there another way?" asked Tara.  
  
"Well, I could consult my books, find something."  
  
"We don't have time! We only have 4 days. It's going to take 2 days to gather things for the spell and another to perform it. And we have no idea how long it will take her to actually rise. We have to decide NOW! I can do the spell, and get Buffy back. Or we can research and not be 100% sure if we could get her back or even find anything. And even if we did, we have no idea how long it would take." Stated Willow.  
  
"If we did do the spell, what would be the side effects?" asked Giles quietly  
  
"Nothing! She'd be the same Buffy! 100% pure Buffy!" said Willow quickly.  
  
"Not only Buffy. On you too. What would be some side effects? Would it hurt you?" Asked Giles.  
  
"No! Not at all, I might have a headache or nose bleeds from time to time like teleportation spell. But that's to be expected. But other than that, nadda." Squeaked Willow.  
  
"I still don't kno-"  
  
"Actually, I tend to side with Willow. The First need to take a form. In 4 days, they are going to take the Slayer's. If she isn't in the ground, ready for the very essence of evil to be poured into her corpse, then The First will be stuck in our plane of existence. And therefore will be killable. And if you kill The First, you can take away evil in all it's forms. No more demons, no more hate. And best off, all those vampires and demons would revert to their human counter part. And the Slayer, her work will be complete. She will have nothing to slay. She will be the last slayer." Interrupted Ayn, who had been silent for a while.  
  
"She could have the normal life she always wanted." Said Dawn.  
  
"No vampires," said Xander.  
  
"I wouldn't be the key, I'd just be the Dawn. I wouldn't be evil."  
  
" This is an interesting idea," said Giles.  
  
"We do the spell then?" asked Dawn.  
  
Giles looked hesitant. "Willow, start preparing. We'll perform it in 3 days." 


	13. Being Human

Disclaimer: Hey hey! Guess who had nothing to do during March break and ate a giant purple pixi stix???? Mwaahahahhaha! I Know I promised Madame Rat that I'd call her when I finally ate it, but since you're off in an undisclosed area at the moment you can check out my insanity here!!! LALALA! I sure as hell don't own these characters, and I'm sure Joss won't want to either after I've had my way with them! Bwahaha! So, how about that Spike with a can of whipped cream? AhahahahahHAhahahHeeeeeeeee… SUGAR RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
  
  
"Oops!" squeaked Dawn. "Xander! We're gonna need some towels!" she called down the hall.  
  
Xander grumbled as he got up from the Power Rangers marathon he was watching to grab some paper towels. Giles had taken Blaine and Ayn to the local Motel 6, and Anya, Willow and Tara were still at the Magic Box preparing ingredients for the spell. So, as the odd man out, he was stuck with Spike and Dawn duty. They all had agreed that Spike couldn't stay in his crypt now that he was human, (even if he WAS superhuman,) so Giles offered to take him in for the time being.  
  
What Xander saw when he stomped in was hilarious. Spike was sitting on the toilet seat with a shower cap on his head, bottles of peroxide at his feet and one giggly Dawn painting his nails black.  
  
"Bwahahahaha!!! Oh I'd kill for a camera right now!" Xander said between bursts of giggles.  
  
"You don't say a word you wanker! Or I'll kill you, soul or no soul!" Spat Spike. He reached for his cigarettes, lit one up and proceeded to cough and sputter on the floor. All of which made Xander's giggling louder.  
  
"Hey Big Bad. You're human now! Cigarettes can kill you!" said Dawn as she proceeded to wipe up the spilt black nail polish off the tile.  
  
Spike was pissed! All he agreed to was for the nibblet to have her fun and give him a "makeover" like they did sometimes while he babysat. Yah he was going soft, but he couldn't deny the girl anything. Besides, his newfound reflection showed him how pathetic looking he was. One look at him and Buffy would--- oh yah, Buffy. What did he mean 'oh yah' he couldn't stop thinking about her and how she was in trouble if they couldn't bring her back. Oh!! Buffy would be back and he was human and- he started to pace again. That's right. He agreed to let Dawn have her way with him so that he would stop pacing and worrying for more than five minutes.  
  
"Ooh… come on Spike! Stop pacing! Come on!" Dawn was worried about Spike. Even though she was pissed that he was trying to kill himself earlier that morning she took it upon herself to keep an eye on him. At least until Buffy came back, then she wouldn't need to. "Hey, come here," she said soothingly. ' Come on, we'll wash the dye stuff out and then we can have some dinner! It'll be your first real dinner since you were turned! Don't you wanna see what you missed with you new spiffy human taste buds? You couldn't taste much with those vamp ones." She said in her sweetest, most innocent girly voice.  
  
He was wavering, that's good.  
  
"I'll even make you cocoa with marshmallows!" Dawn added.  
  
That did it.  
  
"Alright lil' Bit! Fix me up! And Harris?"  
  
Xander who was still panting for breath looked up.  
  
"Sod off!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Here it is!" Cried Willow. "I told you it was in the Book of Tarnis! And there you were all 'no Willow it's gotta be The Tiberius Manifesto, or the Pergamum Codex!" she babbled.  
  
"Honey, you're babbling." Said Tara.  
  
"Well, sooooorry! I refuse to go into a book about the Black Arts! I thought we could stick to the good stuff." Said Anya. It was her store, why didn't they listen to her?  
  
Willow gave a 'hell-might-care' look Anya's way then started to read:  
  
Ave Verum Corpus  
  
Natum Virgine, Vere passum  
  
Immorlatum in cruce prohomine  
  
Cuisus latus perforratum  
  
Unda fluxit sanguine  
  
Sanguine, Estonobis praegustatum  
  
O dulcis O pie O Fili  
  
Miesrere mei  
  
Miesrere mei!  
  
"oh no!"  
  
"What is it Willow?" asked Tara.  
  
"The spell…for it to work, it need the blood of Glory." 


	14. Mine

Disclaimer: Please forgive me Joss… I horrendously hurt your characters. Much is due to the fact I listened to my father's record of Randy Newman's 'Short People" Ironically he is only 5 foot 1 himself… That and Uptown Girl… Go Me First and the Gimme Gimmes! We LOVE YOU! That and Spike… mmm mmm goodness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What do you mean that it needs the blood of Glory? That's impossible!" Cried Anya.  
  
"It says that it requires the blood of a foe that the warrior wasn't able to kill, and Buffy couldn't kill Glory because of Ben. So the only Big Bad she couldn't beat was Glory."  
  
"B-but then it's impossible. We can't bring Buffy back. What are we going to do?! She's going to come back evil."  
  
"But s-s-she can't! It was going to work! It had to work!" Willow sobbed. She had been so sure and now the time was ticking fast, Buffy would come back and they would have to kill her again. Just like Spike said.  
  
"W-we have to tell Giles. He can help. Maybe he can find some other spell or a way to stop it…" started Tara.  
  
" I can't face them! After the fight I put up. Oh God! How am I going to face Dawn? I basically just told her I could hand her one shiny new Buffy…and now…"  
  
"Well you're going to have to!" Said Anya, " they need to know, and deserve to know about Buffy. Even if it means being wrong Willow! You have to own up to this!" she was starting to get very upset with Willow, even as her years as a vengeance demon she hadn't gotten that deep into the Black Magicks… Willow was abusing it and not even taking responsibilities for it.  
  
Willow looked up at Anya and slowly nodded with tears streaking down her face. She had never had to deal with the feeling of being wrong. She was the "smart-Velma-y" one of the Scoobies. Now she had to face them all and tell them that not only was it impossible to raise Buffy, but there wasn't enough time to find another spell to raise her, if there was another like it at all.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Everyone except Blaine and Ayn were sitting in Giles' living room. The two were still getting over jet lag from their flight. The Scoobies sat patiently as a nervous Willow paced back and forth in front of the bar window to Giles' kitchen.  
  
"Wills?" asked Xander, the waiting was killing everyone. 'What was so important about the spell that was bothering her so much? The way she told it, the spell was perfectly safe, Buffy would be fine, Willow would be safe. Nothing could go wrong… oh wait, that's right!' he thought, 'Hellmouth Murphy's law… anything that CAN go wrong will.'  
  
"Oh for goodness sake Willow! Suck up your pride! The more time we waste the better chance Buffy will come back all evil!" said Anya.  
  
"What?" said Dawn in a timid voice. Considering it was the last of her family she would have been… SHOULD have been more involved. But the very fact that she was coming back floored her. She was still in shock about the whole idea.  
  
"Um… here's the thing… the spell…" started Willow.  
  
"The surefire spell where absolutely NOTHING could go wrong?" rushed Spike.  
  
"I… I can't do it…" The Scooby gang started to shout questions and the occasional threat from Spike.  
  
"What do you mean you can't?" shouted Xander.  
  
"The spell it's impossible! It needs the blood of Glory." The room went quiet.  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" said Willow as a tear started down her cheek.  
  
"You were going to bring her back!" shrieked Dawn. "I lost the last of my family! And then you promised to bring her back, then in the same day taken away from me! But oh no, she'll still come back! Only you'll have to kill her this time!"  
  
"Dawn" said Willow.  
  
"Leave me alone!" she screamed and ran off into the washroom.  
  
"DAWN!" Willow cried as she followed her washroom.  
  
"Get out, Get out, GET OUT!" She sobbed, screaming.  
  
Willow slowly made it back to the living room, where the faces there were even more judging and painful than Dawn. The most painful was Spike. He had the faint shimmer of tears in his eyes and looked like someone just killed his Juliet. Guess she just did. Though even as he looked completely heartbroken, he also looked like he was going to kill her. Tearstained cheeks red, jaw clenching and unclenching, eyes fixed on her alone.  
  
"There's got to be a loop hole! There always is with magicks. FIND A BLOODY LOOP HOLE!" he shouted. "please" he whispered. " There has to be another way."  
  
"Spike, I'm sorry! I tried! The book said: it requires the blood of a foe that the warrior wasn't able to kill. It's Glory! We know she couldn't kill a human! She couldn't kill Glory because of Ben…"  
  
Giles hung his head for a moment. But no, he wouldn't feel guilty; he did a Watcher's job. He had stopped the bad guy.  
  
Spike nodded for a moment, head down. When he finally looked up his eyes were red and puffy. "We do the spell as planned." Said Spike with a sniff.  
  
"W-what do you have planned Spike?" asked Giles.  
  
"The blood of a foe that the warrior could not kill eh? Let's look at Buffy's track record. Killed the Master, sent Angelus to Hell, killed Mayor, killed Frankenstein…"  
  
"Then Glory." Said Xander.  
  
The rest of the group looked confused.  
  
"Oh come on! You can't remember the original Big Bad Buffy couldn't knock off? The spell goes as planned, I'll give you the blood of the only other Baddie she couldn't kill."  
  
"Who's?"  
  
Spike gave a halfhearted smirk "Mine." 


	15. Take your bit of blood

Disclaimer: Sad to say, they aren't mine… I'm bring back my story from hiding. These are for the retro Buffy Fanfic readers who read my story… sorry for the wait guys… got sidetracked… pesky little thing called school…

"There's got to be a loop hole! There always is with magicks. FIND A BLOODY LOOP HOLE!" he shouted. "please" Spike whispered. " There has to be another way."  
  
"Spike, I'm sorry! I tried! The book said: it requires the blood of a foe that the warrior wasn't able to kill. It's Glory! We know she couldn't kill a human! She couldn't kill Glory because of Ben…"  
  
Giles hung his head for a moment. But no, he wouldn't feel guilty; he did a Watcher's job. He had stopped the bad guy.  
  
Spike nodded for a moment, head down. When he finally looked up his eyes were red and puffy. "We do the spell as planned." Said Spike with a sniff.  
  
"W-what do you have planned Spike?" asked Giles.  
  
"The blood of a foe that the warrior could not kill eh? Let's look at Buffy's track record. Killed the Master, sent Angelus to Hell, killed Mayor, killed Frankenstein…"  
  
"Then Glory." Said Xander.  
  
The rest of the group looked confused.  
  
"Oh come on! You can't remember the original Big Bad Buffy couldn't knock off? The spell goes as planned, I'll give you the blood of the only other Baddie she couldn't kill."  
  
"Who's?"  
  
Spike gave a halfhearted smirk "Mine."

The room went silent for a moment, disbelief hung in the air. Then the room broke out into an eruption of noise. Everyone had a comment, a refusal, an argument. None of which would make Spike change his mind. No, his heart. She was in there and would always be in there. 

"Listen! I won't change my mind! If this is what we need to get Buffy back… then, I will do it. It's the only way. Besides, I couldn't live just to see her come back evil, and have to kill her. I'd die again, and at least this way I'm of some use. I couldn't help Buffy before." Spike tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but he didn't cry. He had to be strong about this, crying implied weakness, and he couldn't be weak in a time like this. "I failed her so many times…and I couldn't help on the tower the one time she asked for it. Let me help now. Let me do this the way it should be. I've lived my life, or unlife… I've had my time. She was robbed of hers. Let me give it back. Let me be the one that brings her back." 

The room was silent once more. Better give it one more shot.

" I have to do what's right. Besides! It's the only way! She's coming back, and there is only one way to get her to come back and be fighting the good fight. And for that to happen, I have to die! Let me bleed! We don't have much time! She's coming back, and the only way you will survive, anyone will survive… Dawn…" 

The washroom door opened and a teary eyed Dawn stepped out. Spike looked at her, the closest thing to Buffy, a little girl he loved… and continued without breaking eye contact with her.

" She'll come after Dawn. She'll kill all of you. Let me do the only good I can give to this world. I made a promise to keep Dawn safe. I intend on keeping it. You know it's the right thing to do." 

Spike stopped, waited for someone to speak. For someone to do something. When he was hit with a cascade of teenager. Hugging him, crying, and saying her thank you's over and over.

"Spike, you can't mean it! No, but Spike… we… we'll find another way. But, oh! Thank you! Thank you! She'll be back! Oh thank you Spike!"

With a sad grin, he kissed the girl on her forehead. Tearing up, he did his part. The Warrior of Light the Powers foretold would fulfill his role, and bring Buffy back.

" Spike… this is very noble of you. I must say, this is one of the most noble and selfless thing I've seen any person do for another." Said Giles. " But we still have 4 days. If there is an alternative, we'll take it…"

"Thank you… but Red, continue preparing the spell, if we spend all our energy into finding another spell, and there really is nothing else we can do, I don't want us to not be ready for this… and miss out on our chance to bring Buffy back."

"Yes, we'll head back to the shop, continue researching and preparing… Xander, will you pick up Ayn and Blaine, we could use all the assistance we can get." Said Giles his voice quiet yet set.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ayn sat on one of the two twin beds that sat in the small smelly hotel. Blaine was in the shower. Thing were falling into place perfectly. In just 4 days the vampire would bleed, the seer would die, and the slayer would be hell on earth. Master will be pleased. 


End file.
